I welcome this month of hearts. First and foremost my own which seems to be pumping along the way it is supposed to. *smile* Secondly the whole symbol that the heart shape means to me. It means love and friendship and caring and beauty.
I wish for each of you a heart happy month filled with love, and joy -- fun and laughter. As you can see my hands and heart have drifted back to punch needle! A perfectly quiet way to fill these cold winter afternoons. "Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eys, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts." - Paramahansa Yogananda
Look what flew into my studio the other day. I'm so thrilled to have this lovely reminder so close. And yet, sometimes happiness itself is like that saying 'so near and yet so far'.
When I looked in my trusty Meriam Webster dictionary for the word 'happiness' I found several synonyms: bliss, contentment, felicity, state of pleasure. Who in the world would not seek these beautiful words as a way to live?
My quotation of the day is from the Dalai Lama. This is a man who has lived with much sadness and fear and struggle and yet he stillbelieves in happiness. With this little reminder nearby I think my actions are speaking. "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." - Dalai Lama
I firmly believe that each of us should have that special time during the day in which to fall into the moment and treat ourselves to something we love.
My moments (there are two of them each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon) involve tea and chocolate. My teas are Numi's Jasmine Green, White Rose and Dry Desert Lime. My chocolate is Endangered Species Chocolate found at our local food co-op. My two favorite flavors are: Lime Sea Salt and Coconut Creme Filled. Yum!!
While the tea is steeping I take in the delicate aroma. The first sip of tea - ahhhhh! I break a square of chocolate into quarters and each of these very small pieces sits on my tongue while I savor the flavor. For just these moments, my life is suspended in time, with thankfulness. I am truly happy! "The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." - Henry Ward Beecher
I think that it is not very popular to be joyful these days. We are bombarded with bad news - catastrophes, governmental shenanigans, bad behavior on the front page of the newspaper, everyday frustrations. What has happened to us? When did life become such a 'survivor' sport?
"Laverne and Shirley"
Our motion pictures, magazine racks and television series are filled with violence, disaster, drugs, alcohol and sex. Even those that are purported to be comedies have a theme of trying to combine all 'seven deadly sins' into one 90 minute program.
"Laurel and Hardy"
As I've gotten older I'm quite aware of how insignificant each day is, in the scheme of things. Of how small my little presence is in this great and wonderful universe. And so, why not celebrate each day, instead of thinking of it as something to be 'gotten' through?
So here's to fun! Here's to laughter and joy and happiness. Here's to greeting the rising sun each day with gratitude and peace in my heart.
"Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy." - Joseph Campbell
